Published June 01, 2024
The goal of this Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program, sponsored by National Science Foundation, is to broaden the participation of Native American, female, first-generation, and other underrepresented students to engage in cutting-edge research on controlled environment agriculture (CEA).
Student trainees will advance interdisciplinary research focused on resource efficiency while maximizing crop growth in CEA. Mentoring, technical skills development, and other professional training are also provided. Students will combine knowledge of indigenous food with modern technologies in CEA to bridge generational gaps and promote fresh and healthy produce in tribal communities. A cohort-based approach will promote teamwork, leadership, and peer teaching while inspiring and preparing Native American students to advance new technologies that support the future of agriculture.
Students will pursue one of the three research themes: (1) modeling and operation for resource-efficient CEA, (2) computer vision for monitoring crop growth and analyzing nutrient contents in CEA, and (3) a CEA feasibility study for tribal communities. REU students will gain firsthand experience through site visits, semi-interviews, and live discussions with industry partners. Actively engaging industry partners and better understanding stakeholder perspectives is expected to enrich student learning, ultimately benefitting their professional and career development.
For more information, please visit https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2349765&HistoricalAwards=false
